LOCAL NEWS

Grey River Argus, 24 July 1948, Page 4

LOCAL NEWS

The Transport Department has advised all controllers of bus services that the loading, under the certificate of fitness, allowing for one-third of the number seated to be carried as standing passengers, must be observed. As from yesterday, Railways Department bus drivers at Wellington enforced this ruling.

The Wellington City Council proposes to continue on a simpler scale the war-time Emergency Precautions Scheme. Medical nractitioners, trained nurses and Red Cross and St. John Ambulance workers have been allocated to each of the war-time 25 districts in the city. Each district post will have a suitably stocked, medical cabinet for use in severe earthquakes or other emergencies necessitating first aid. With the approval of the Education Board the co-operation of schol committees is being invited.

Entries close for Greymouth Competitions on Monday, July 26. Late entries not accepted.—Advt.

A record tonnage of cargo was handled at the Port of Otago between the beginnings of October, 1947, and the end of June, 1948. Of the total of 294', 576 tons also constituted a record. . This was reported at the monthly meeting of the Otago Harbour Board. Tributes to the work of the waterside workers and carriers at the port in comparison with other ports were paid by members of the board.

The Mayor of Greymouth. Mr F. F. Boustridge, stated yesterday mat the year’s estimates for the Borough had been finally approved, but that the figures would not be ready for publication until some time next week, when a statement covering them and the financial position of the borough would be made. The council sat until midnight on Thursday considering various aspects of the budget and every effort had been made to pare items of expenditure, and several amendments were made to the preliminary figures.

Have you seen Jeffs new bar ? Empire Hotel, Ross. Advt.

The difference the war years made to the rabbit population of New Zealand was strikingly ilustrated by Mi H E Crosse at Hastings in evidence to the Royal Commission on Sheep r farming. He mentioned that whereas between the years 1902 and 1939 tin kills varied only between 100 and 200 a year, when he returned to PatOKa Station in October, 1944, he found rabbits everywhere, and from then on they came “like a dirty mountain torrent in flood.” Mr Crosse said that for the years 1945-47 no fewer than 120,000 rabbits had been killed on Patoka and the indications were that the 1947-48 kill would be about 75,000.

Because future supplies of wheat were uncertain, it was suggested at a recent meting of the North TaranaKi provincial executive of Federated Farmers that more wheat should be grown in the province. One member said that he grew a crop of wheat last year on his farm, which was near' Mount Egmont. Mr R. Cassie said that wheat had been successfully grown on Taranaki’s coast for the last 10 years. The machinery was available for harvesting, he added. Mr T. J. Davis suggested that more information should be obtained before wheat-growing was begun.

Any way you figure it—no saving of £ s. d. is going to be worth while if you’re going to take it out on youihealth! If after wash day you feel simply tired out, why not give yourself a spell for a while and send your laundry to the Westland Laundry. Our charges are exceptionally reasonable and when you take into consideration all the costs of a large family wash —firing, soap, starch, blue, etc., and the amount of wear and tear on yourself, you’ll agree that there’s nothing in it. ’Phone 136 to-day. The Westland Laundry Ltd. Depot: Sam McAra. —Advt.

The president of the Greymouth Workingmen’s Club, Mr C. C. Couchman stated yesterday that the search for permanent quarters for the club, which lost its premises in a fire on Sunday morning, has not yet ended. He said that a number of buildings had been offered to the club, cut most of them were more suitable for temporary premises rather than a permanent site for the re-establish-ment of the club. The exeuctive would report its findings in 10 Gays time.

Gold Mines of New Zealand Ltd., are prospecting an area on Three Mile creek at Hau Hau, with a view to placing one of its two dredges, which are now idle on the West Coast, into production. The c’aim is being investigated by the company on behalf of Associated Gold Dredges Limited. The area lies between rhe Arahura and Kanieri dredge claims. As neither iron nor flashing is available to repair the skylights in the Greymouth goods sheds, secona hand iron has been used to cover them over. This has darkened the sheds considerably and necessitated the installation of additional lighting and about 40 new lights were installed on each side of the shed. These, however, have proved to be inadequate and further measures include the whitewashing of the ceding, and, possibly the installation of florescent lighting along the centre of the building.. It is hoped that the skylights will be able to be restored when sufficient material becomes available.

Eight immigrants, five miners, and three probationer nurses, are due to arrive in Wellington aboard the Rangitata on August 4. The miners have been allocated to the Reefton district, while tjie nurses will take up duty at Grey River Hospital. Yesterday, the District Employment Officer, Mr J. C. Corbishley, said that only where accommodation was assured, such as through the Reefton hostel or nurses’ homes could immigrants be offered positions on the West Coast.

From this season onwards, commercial whitebaiting will no longer be free of taxation. The Land and Income Tax Department has circularised factory managers and distributors in the Grey, Buller and South Westland areas, as well as Canterbury and Wellington wholesalers. These concerns have also been advised that it will be necessary tor them, commencing with the 194 S whitebait season and for each successive season, to keep records of supppliers of whitebait in order that the full names and addresses and the gross amount paid to each might be forwarded to the department.

Reconstruction work on the south breakwater was recommended yesterday, after the recent rough ••rather, which had interrupted the work Some 100 rhree-ton concrete blocks have been placed in position at the end and on the river side of the breakwater, where) damage estimated at. £3OOO was caused. The actual cosi of the reconstruction work now under way will be between £5OOO and £6OOO. The terminal end. which was lost when the upper decking was undermined, after the disintegration 'of soft rock, has now been rebuilt It is expected that the whole proiect of restoring the breakwater w I’ take between 18 months and two years.